France State Symbols, Song, Flags and More - Worldatlas.com Bird: Gallic Rooster Coat of Arms: Coat of Arms: The current emblem of France has been a symbol of France since 1953, although it does not have any legal status as an official coat of arms. It is printed on the cover of French passports and was adopted originally by the French Foreign Ministry as a symbol for use by diplomatic and consular missions during 1912. It is considered an emblem rather than a coat of arms, since it does not respect heraldic rules. The emblem consists of a wide shield with, on the one end a lion-head and on the other an eagle-head, bearing a monogram "RF" standing for Republique Francaise (French Republic). A laurel branch symbolizes victory of the Republic, the oak branch symbolizes perennity or wisdom, and the fasces is a symbol associated with justice (the bundle of rods and an axe, carried by Roman lictors). Flag of France Flower: Lily Marianne: Marianne is present everywhere in France and holds a place of honor in town halls and law courts.

She symbolizes the "Triumph of the Republic", and stands as a bronze sculpture overlooking Place de la Nation in Paris. Her profile is found on the official seal of the country, and engraved on coins and drawn on stamps and banknotes. Next to the flag, Marianne is considered the most prominent depiction of the French Republic. Motto: "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite" meaning "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" National Anthem: La Marseillaise (words and music by C. Rouget de Lisle), may be the best-known and most inspirational national anthem in the world. National Emblem: The Gallic Rooster decorated French flags during the Revolution, and since 1848, the rooster has been seen on the seal of the Republic. It was used from 1899 as a motif on gold 20 franc coins and it occasionally appears on stamps. National Holiday: July 14 (or "Fete de la Federation") is celebrated with a mixture of solemn military parades, dancing in the streets and fireworks. The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 has been commemorated in France for more than a century.

Marianne: National Emblem of France – A Woman's Paris By Philippa Campsie Barbara Redmond July is a good month for national days. July 1 is Canada Day, July 4 is U.S. Independence Day, and July 14 is Bastille Day in France. There will be fireworks and feasts and celebrations in each country. Yet we can’t help noticing some interesting differences in what is being celebrated. Canada Day commemorates the day in 1867 when a group of men known today as the Fathers of Confederation signed a document to unite four provinces into the Dominion of Canada. Similarly, on July 4, 1776, the American Congress (another group of men) approved the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. France is a woman In contrast, Bastille Day is the only celebration of an equal-opportunity event that involved women (and even children). In July 14, 1789, a mob of Parisians stormed an almost-empty medieval fortress that had long been used as a prison. They had come from the Palais Royal (shown above as it looks today), which was the centre of revolutionary sentiment and discussion among the people of Paris.

The troops guarding the fortress fired on the crowd. The violence escalated from there. In the end, the only person killed defending the fortress was its governor, but almost 100 of the attackers—men, women, and children—died in the mêlée. The immediate outcome was that King Louis XVI agreed to the crowd’s demands: he reinstated a popular official he had previously fired, acknowledged the legitimacy of the National Assembly, and promised to demolish the Bastille. Three days later, he came to Paris and was met with enthusiasm; the tricolor was created from the red and blue of the coat of arms of the City of Paris and the white of the Bourbon royal family. Marianne: French feminine symbol of liberty and republicanism Bastille Day celebrates an ambiguous and very local event—several hours of intense violence by a group of people most of whom were never identified, a temporary truce with the king, and the creation of a flag containing the colours of the capital city and a royal dynasty. Very different from the sedate and notably masculine national days of Canada and the United States. Perhaps this is why the national emblem of France is also a woman. Her name is Marianne.

Town squares throughout the country feature a statue of this feminine symbol of liberty and republicanism. Before the Euro replaced the franc, she appeared on coins, and she is still sometimes seen on French stamps. Her profile is part of the official logo of the French government. She is usually depicted dressed like a classical Greek goddess, with the addition of a Phrygian cap—a soft, cone-shaped red cap with its top pointing forward, a symbol of the “common people” of France. A French historian has argued that the French have a feminine emblem simply because the French word for republic (la république) is feminine (and so is the name of the country, La France), but we think there is more to it than that. You just can’t imagine this sort of thing in North America, where our human emblems consist of Johnny Canuck and Uncle Sam. There are many theories about how she got her name. Some say it comes from a popular song. Others say she was named after a pretty young woman who tended the wounded during the Revolution and wore a Phrygian cap.

Or it might be that since Marie-Anne was a popular name at the time, the name of the allegorical figure was chosen to represent Everywoman (rather as we might refer to Jane Doe for a typical person in North America). France’s image of Marianne The image of Marianne has evolved over time and draws from various sources, including Delacroix’s 1830 painting of Liberty Leading the People , which features a bare-breasted Marianne, and the statue of La Marseillaise on the Arc de Triomphe , which depicts a demented, shrieking, winged warrior maiden in full armour. In 19th century, the French government launched a competition to develop a standardized way of portraying Marianne. Two versions emerged—a peaceful one surrounded by symbols of the country’s wealth and progress, and a more militant (véhemente) one with arm raised and breast bared. You can see elements of both types in the statue created by the sculptor Dalou for the one hundredth anniversary of the Revolution in 1889 in the Place de la Nation. Marianne has had her ups and downs. During the Second Empire of Napoleon III, symbols of republicanism were repressed.

And during the Vichy Regime in the Second World War, many bronze statues of her were melted down or removed from public places. When Général de Gaulle became president after the war, he used her image frequently, but in calmer-looking, less militant forms. For the two hundredth anniversary of the Revolution in 1989, Président Mitterand decided to avoid her image in favour of something less, well, revolutionary. After all, that bared breast is troubling. It’s not so much the nudity, but the fact that she is neither fully dressed nor fully naked, but in an in-between state. Marianne represents change, not stability, a state that tends to scare off most politicians. Thus when the French gave a symbol of liberty to the United States, they went for a fully clothed woman with a radiant crown rather than a Phrygian cap, her raised hand holding a torch rather than clenched in a fist. The 1886 Statue of Liberty (La Liberté éclairant le monde) is not Marianne. Her stern face is handsome, but not very feminine.

Modern Marianne: Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve… Originally, images and sculptures of Marianne were created using anonymous models, but modern depictions of Marianne have drawn on the features of famous French beauties. This trend began with the choice of Brigitte Bardot as a model in 1969. Thereafter, every few years, the image of Marianne has been renewed by association with a contemporary Frenchwoman. Previous “Mariannes” have included singer Mireille Mathieu, actress Catherine Deneuve, fashion designer Inès de la Fressange, actress and model Laetitia Casta, and talk-show host Evelyne Thomas. There is even an unnamed North African young woman who has posed for a version of Marianne that represents a multi-ethnic France. Apparently French mayors have a choice when they commission a statue and are not required to use the latest incarnation of Marianne. Catherine Deneuve thus remains a popular choice. Marianne persists as a popular symbol, although perhaps more outside Paris than within the city, but her image still presides over the Place de la République and other important public spaces in the capital.

Judging by the number of representations of Marianne you can see in a day’s walk around the streets, it’s still A Woman’s Paris after all. VOCABULARY: French to English translations Bleu blanc rouge: Colors of the French flag are always named in the order of “bleu blanc rouge,” since the color blue is the one closest to the flagpole. Le bonnet phrygien: Soft, cone-shaped red cap with its top pointing forward, a symbol of the “common people” of France. Le bras levé: Raised arm. Un sein nu: Bare breast. Philippa Campsie teaches part-time in the urban planning program at the University of Toronto and runs her own writing and research business, Hammersmith Communications. Before starting her own business, she was editor-in-chief at Macmillan Canada. Philippa lived in Paris as a student and regularly travels to Paris and Normandy. She is interested in stories of famous Parisian women throughout the ages and how they influenced the Parisian style we have come to love and know.

You may also enjoy A Woman’s Paris® post, French Crown Jewels: Empress Eugénie , by Barbara Redmond who writes about pieces from Empress Eugénie’s private collection and the French Crown Jewels that were split up by the national assembly and sold at public auction. Stories of Empress Eugénie’s famous Bow Brooch, Pearl and Diamond Tiara, and private jewels. Including Barbara’s favorite book about the jewels in the Louvre, Paris. French Empress Eugénie and her diamonds , by Barbara Redmond who shares the story of Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III, who lusted after diamonds—the most bejeweled clotheshorse and stylish woman of her day. Stories of Empress Eugénie’s famous Eugénie Diamond, Great Diamond Cluster, Consort Crown, and “Regent” Diamonds. Including Barbara’s favorite book about the jewels in the Louvre, Paris. Bastille Day in France: Tyrants and tigers and blood, oh my!

by Canadian writer Philippa Campsie who says, if you are going to be in France this coming Bastille Day (usually known as le quatorze juillet or la fête nationale in France), you might want to learn the words to La Marseillaise, which has been France’s national anthem (off and on) since the days of the Revolution. Including words to the anthem in French with English translation. French legend proved true with the discovery of blood of King Louis XVI in gourd , by Andrea Johnson who shares with us a stimulating morsel of French history that seems just a little more tangible as it occurs right before our eyes. ( French ) Bastille Day Military Parade in Paris: la fête nationale , by Barbara Redmond who tells her story about watching the Bastille Day Military Parade in Paris with particular affection for the Garde Républicaine as they show off their talents and perform dressage. The world of aristocratic Paris , by author Jan Dolphin. Enter the gates of the eighteenth century parc Monçeau and from there discover two historic townhouses: Musée Nissim de Camondo and Musée Jacquemart-André. Text copyright ©2010 Philippa Campsie.

All rights reserved Illustration copyright ©2012 Barbara Redmond. All rights reserved. France: Symbols of the Republic This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website France: Symbols of the Republic France: The bees as Imperial symbol France has no official coat of arms Heraldry being perceived as an aristocratic art form, the Republic did not adopt new armorial bearings following the Revolution. Consequently, many heraldists, including some of the most distinguished, consider that the legitimate arms of France remain those from the time of the kings. This is the reason why the seal , the national symbol , and the emblem are nowadays the only official graphics used by the Republic (with the flags and cockades, of course). Source: Pierre Gay's website , translated by Joseph McMillan, 2 April 2003 Logo of the State - Marianne Official logotype of France France still has no coat of arms but has now a logo. According to AFP (12 March 1999), Prime Minister Lionel Jospin has given the state a logo, a Marianne on blue-white-red ground, which shall be put soon on all the documents of the ministries and administrations.

Government agencies that already have their own logo need not use this one. Pascal Vagnat, 13 March 1999 Marianne is the nickname given to the feminine allegory of the Republic (derived from the revolutionary allegory of Liberty). Origin of the nickname is controversial according to M. Pastoureau [pst98] . It can be dated 1848-1851, with generalization ca. 1875. Pastoureau, refering to M. Agulhon's studies, presents the opposition between: - a wise and bourgeois Marianne (sitting, still, hair tied up, breast covered, liberty cap discrete or missing) - a rebell and popular Marianne (moving, hair untied, breast uncovered, liberty cap highlighted). The evolution of Marianne's graphic charter reflects the political evolution of French society. The allegory used on the logo is an interesting mix of the wise, bourgeois Marianne and the revolutionary, popular one. The municipal monthly review of Versailles has an article about Marianne.

It reports one of the possible origin of Marianne: After the coup of 17 Fructidor 1797, the Directory [the regime which ruled France from 26 October 1795 to 9 November 1799], wanted to give a pleasant nickname to the French Republic, [probably to lighten the bloody image of the Revolution]. The gallant Barras [one of the Directors], once invited for dinner by Madame Marianne Reubell, asked her for her first name, and said : "Great, Your first name is simple and short, it fits the Republic as well as it fits You." In 1848, the Ministry of the Interior launched a sculpture contest to symbolize the Republic. After the fall of monarchy, the Provisional Government had declared: "The image of liberty should replace everywhere the images of corruption and shame, which have been broken in three days by the magnanimous French people." Two Mariannes were granted: the one is fighting and victorious, and represents the Greek goddess Athena, the other is wise and serious. Every city hall could make its own choice between the two proposals.

In 1884, all municipalities were required to have a city hall, even if the presence of Marianne's bust was not mandatory. There is no rule for the representation of Marianne. The city hall of Versailles owns three different Mariannes: the first one, in the main hall, is a replica of Dubray's Marianne from 1848 (the wise option), the second one, in the council room, was made by Lecreux out of black bronze in 1870, and the third one, recently placed in the wedding hall, is an original modern artwork by Georges Delahaie. In general, Marianne has inspired more than 100 models. A few celebrities "became" Marianne, such as Brigitte Bardot (1969), Catherine Deneuve (1985), Mireille Mathieu, Mireille Darc, Isabelle Adjani and finally Laetitia Casta. Ivan Sache, 15 October 2000 The second Marianne then represented Pallas/Athena as well. Pallas isn't just war, she is war combined with wisdom.

After all, she was born out of the head of Zeus, which she sprang from fully dressed for battle. These are of course the two complementary aspects of Athena/Pallas. The first Marianne matches the ideal woman according to the 1880 (and later...) standard, the second one is much closer to the scandalous Liberté guidant le Peuple painted by Delacroix (1830). The Marianne of the logo is close to the second one, but made wiser and more modern by stylizing her. Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg & Ivan Sache, 16 October 2000 National symbol National symbol of France Oval shield, azure a lictor's fasces palewise upon two branches, of oak and of olive, crossed in saltire, all or, surmounted by a ribbon of the same charged with the motto in letters sable: "LIBERTE, EGALITE FRATERNITE". The shield is surrounded by the Grand Collar of the Order of the Legion of Honor proper, the cross suspended from it in base.

This version of the national symbol of the French Republic was created under the Fourth Republic by a ministerial commission that convened on 3 June 1953 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since then, it is represented on the panel reserved for France in the assembly hall of the United Nations in New York. Source: Pierre Gay's website , translated by Joseph McMillan, 2 April 2003 National seal The ordinance of 8 September 1848 defined the seal of the Second Republic , which is still in use today: Liberty seated holding in her right hand a lictor's fasces and in her left the tiller of a rudder on which is the figure of a Gallic cock, the claw resting on a globe. Behind, to the right of the rudder, oak leaves representing wisdom; to the left of the rudder, an urn inscribed with the initials SU (for suffrage universel [universal suffrage]). At the feet of Liberty, emblems of the fine arts and of agriculture. The seal carries the inscriptions République française, démocratique, une et indivisible and 24 fév. 1848 on the obverse.

On the reverse, Au nom du peuple français and Egalité, Fraternité, Liberté. Source: Pierre Gay's website , translated by Joseph McMillan, 2 April 2003 National emblem Front cover of a French passport The French-European passport carries the emblem of the French Republic. The design of the emblem is very close to that of the national symbol: a lictor's fasces upon two branches, of olive and oak, in saltire, overall a plaque with the interlaced letters 'RF'. Source: Pierre Gay's website , translated by Joseph McMillan, 2 April 2003 The RF cypher R.F. (for République Française) appeared shortly after the proclamation of the French Republic in autumn 1792 on official and administrative documents. It had the status of a State administrative emblem, and was also used on stamps and seals (although less frequently than fasces, cockade, Liberty or rooster). The Second , Third , Fourth and Fifth Republics generalized the administrative use of R.F., especially to overcome the lack of State arms.

It was often proposed to consider the letters RF (or EF during the Etat Français ) as an heraldic charge and to place them in a shield, in total contradiction with the heraldic rule which bans letters from the shield field. The letters RF were indeed used on documents (for instance passports) as well on buildings. During several international meetings, all countries exhibited their national arms whereas France exhibited a shield charged with RF. Tricolor shields with RF in black in the middle of the white stripe are quite common on city halls, schools, administrative buildings etc. Source: M. Pastoureau, op. cit.

A Tricolore flag charged with RF in the white stripe can be seen on a Comoran coin dated 1889 Ivan Sache, 25 November 2000 Marianne - a French national symbol, with French definitive stamps | France Marianne: a French national symbol, with French definitive stamps "La Liberté guidant le peuple” [Liberty guiding the people] by Eugene Delacroix [La Louvre, Paris] ‘Marianne - a French national symbol’ is one of a group of documents on Republican France Marianne - a French national symbol, with French definitive stamps Marianne as displayed on official government documents who is Marianne? Marianne is a symbol of Republican France. A Marianne is a bust of a proud and determined woman wearing a Phrygian cap . She symbolises the attachment of the common citizens of the revolution to the Republic - Marianne is liberty, egality and fraternity. Marianne on French stamps Marianne has been used on most definitive stamps issued since 1944, as well as several commemorative (picture) stamps .

When Marianne is not clearly wearing a Phrygian cap, as on the Muller and Cheffer Marianne stamps, she is known as ‘the Republic’. model: Lea, wife of Dulac’s friend Emile Rixens Fernez second batch with increased prices Jean Cocteau also known as the blind Marianne Louis Briat - only female designer of Marianne Lamouche 2008 French presidency of the council of the European Union, from July to December 2008. Yves Beaujard. Also known as “Marianne et Europe”. The first definitive to be designed and engraved by the same artist, since the Liberté de Gandon d'après Delacroix definitive was retired in 1990. Marianne commemoratives Marianne was used on many French definitive stamps. She also appeared as the symbol of France or as the principle subject of a work of art on commemorative stamps. [4] The following is not an exhaustive list.

Marianne coming to the help of the unemployed 1935 This stamp price included a tax to benefit “intellectual unemployed”, such as artists and scientists affected by the 1929 crash, there being no unemployment insurance at that time. To save the race 1937 Marianne with a protecting arm around a young child. The cryptic “To save the race” apparently described the stamp’s tax goal of the fight against venereal diseases. [Note the tariff is 65c + 25c] 150th anniversary of the federal constitution of the U.S.A. 1937 Remembering 17 September 1787, this stamp issued to recall Franco-American friendship. Designed by Barlangue. Help to the French repatriated from Spain 1938 The Spanish civil war provoked the return to France of many French, whom Marianne welcomed. [Note the tariff is 65c + 60c] Liberation 1944 Gandon symbolised the liberation of France with Marianne mounted on a winged horse.

Similar to the definitive Marianne by Gandon which appeared a few years later Marianne of Dali 1979 Commissioned by La Poste from Spanish painter Salvador Dali. As well as reproducing old masters, La Poste sometimes commissioned contemporary artists to design a stamp. Heritage Year 1980 This Marianne, designed by Pierre Foget, has family similarities to the then current Sabine Gandon Marianne , although she faces the opposite direction. National census 1982 “Marianne travelled all over France looking for a harvest of numbers.” This stamp is famous because a hurried retoucher eliminated a mark that was the number 7 on Corsica. The stamp was printed entirely on phosphorescent paper. Marianne of Jean Effel 1983 Commissioned by La Poste, the stamp became a posthumous homage to the artist who died before it was issued. Homage to the dead 1985 Designed and engraved by Albert Decaris, it was issued on the 75th anniversary of the burial of the Unknown Soldier at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe. Marianne in love 1988 Designed by Eriki Bilal.

Originally part of a booklet - Communication - where each stamp was drawn by a different comic strip artist. This one was later issued as part of a pre-paid envelope. Marianne worked by Raymond Gid 1988 Bicentenary of the French Revolution 1990 The woman in the red section wears a Phrygian cap, another symbol of the Revolution, as does the one at the top of the stamp. The stamp is in the French national colours of blue, white and red. Constitution of the 5th Republic - 1958/1998 1998 On a background of blue, white and red, echoing the French national flag - Marianne takes a similar colouring. French definitive stamps in historical context This section will give some help in understanding why particular French definitive stamps appeared when they did. Note, French stamps are often colour-coded according to their purpose. Red is used for the standard first-class letter rate, blue for letters to abroad, and green for second-class post, postcards and newspapers.

1848 - 1852 designed and engraved by Jaques-Jean Barre [Edges cut straight] Second Empire - Napoleon III ( Louis Napoleon Bonaparte) 1862 Ceres Jaques-Jean Barre Ceres stamps were revived from 1849 issue when Napolean III stamps were forbidden. They were printed in Paris, using typographic methods . At the same time, the provisional government in Bordeaux printed Ceres stamps. These were printed by Augée-Delile, using lithography . Thus, there are differences in clarity of image between Bordeaux and Paris stamps, as can in the illustration on the left. 1871 Franco-Prussian War ended - Germany won 1871 During the insurrection of the Paris Commune (1871), Napoleon III stamps were again printed, while the Parisian printer, Anatole Hulot, hid the Ceres printing material.

1876 - 1900 Peace and commerce allegoric group / Sage type “Commerce and peace unite and peace reigns in the world” designed by Jules-August Sage, engraved by Louis Eugene Mouchon [printed by flat letterpress] After the 1894 competition for a new stamp design failed to choose a preferred design, three stamp designs were created, used for different stamp values 1900 - 1930 used for low values - postcards designed by Paul-Joseph Blanc, The winged woman carries the scales of justice and the mirror of truth. [printed by flat letterpress] Rights of man / Mouchon type used for intermediate values designed and engraved by Eugene Mouchon for the 1894 competition. The design was slightly altered for the stamp [printed by flat letterpress] The Republic, guardian of the laws and of peace. [printed by flat letterpress, in two colours] Replaced the 1900 Mouchon Rights of Man stamp. [printed by flat and rotary letterpress] 1914 - 1918 The Repulic holding an olive branch.

designed by Paul-Albert Laurens [printed by rotary letterpress] The design reflects the strength of feeling for peace between the two World Wars. To replace the Peace type stamp, three new mythological subjects, Mercury, Iris and Ceres, were adopted. 1938 used for low values - printed papers designed and engraved by Georges Hourriez [printed by rotary letterpress] Occupied France - free zone : green, occupied zone : red designed and engraved by Georges Hourriez [printed by rotary letterpress] after the Ceres design of Jacques-Jean Barre [printed by rotary letterpress] 1940 - 1944 The French State (Vichy Government) Note that the official French parliament web-site ( l’Assemblée nationale ) makes no mention at all of the stamps of the Vichy goverment, instead listing stamps from Free France and French territories overseas. During the occupation of France by Nazi Germany , there were 43 issues of stamps. Many included Petain’s portrait [7] , both in uniform and in civilian clothes. (General Philippe Petain was head of the Vichy government, installed by the occupying Nazi Germans.) Below is featured one issue.

Jan 1942 - Sept 1944 designed by Jean-Eugène Bersier engraved by Jules Pie Petain stamps were banned after France was liberated, but there were insufficient replacements. Taxed and overprinted Petain stamps were used, in preference obscuring the traitor Petain’s face. There were some two hundred overprints, some official, some not. This page [in French] lists many of the overprint texts used in different towns. The slogan of the Vichy government; stamps produced for Petain’s 87th birthday. 1943-1944 Free France and French territories 1944 First occurence of the Gallic cock on a stamp. The cross of Lorraine and the RF monogram also present. designed by Henry Razous, Marianne of Algers (or of Fernez) ordered by Charles de Gaulle at the end of the war and issued by the Provisory Government designed by Louis Fernez, lithographic printing on stone by Charles Hervé, printed at l’Atellier Carbonnel, Algeria.

1944 - 1947 Provisional Government of the French Republic issued October 1944 in Paris Arc de triomphe de l'Étoile [Offset lithography] Printed in the United States. Gen. de Gaulle refused their use in the free sector of France designed by WA Roach engraved by CA Brooks, AW Christensen, T. Vail, JS Edmonson. Because the horizontal, and then the vertical, dentallations were cut separately, often the printed image badly centred on the stamp. Note the stamps have “France” on the rather than the French term, “République française”. 1944 - 1945 Provisory Government issue, used only until the Paris l'Atelier des Timbres-Poste could restart work designed by Edmund Dulac engraved by Leonard Phillips, at Thomas de La Rue, London. Printed by de La Rue. Gen. de Gaulle allowed these stamps to be used in the free sector of France.

1945 engraved by Henri Cortot [printed by rotary intaglio] Not as delicate as the orginal Barre Ceres of 1849, this Ceres was only used for two years. 1945 - 1954 second issue with increased prices designed by Jean Cocteau designed and engraved by Albert Decaris [printed by rotary intaglio] designed by Henri Cheffer (drawn in 1954) engraved by Claude Durrens after Henri Cheffer died in 1957 [printed by rotary intaglio] engraved in relief by J.

Miermont, engraved as intaglio dies by Béquet [printed by rotary intaglio] designed and engraved by Pierre Gandon 1981 designed and engraved by Pierre Gandon [printed by rotary intaglio] 200th anniversary of the French Revolution 1997 - 2004 [printed by high speed rotary intaglio] 2005 [printed by high speed rotary intaglio] 2007 [printed by high speed rotary intaglio] 2012 Designed by David Kawena and Olivier Ciappa based on comic strip and manga drawings. The Marianne portrait is based on Inna Shevchenko, of the lesbian activist organisation, Femen. For those readers who are adventurous and trust their command of French, here is a twenty-question quiz on Marianne stamps . the origin and history of Marianne Marianne appears to have come from the name Marie-Anne, which was a common forename during 18th century France. For the aristocracy, Marie-Anne was not a worthy name and was considered as pejorative in their social circles because it represented the people.

The revolutionaries adopted the name Marianne to symbolise the change of regime; but above all it incarnated the symbol of “the mother country”, the mother who nourished and protected the children of the Republic. Other sources say that the name originates from 1797, when Barras, a member of the Directorate, chose the first name of the wife of one of his friends, Reubelle, to represent the new regime. The name fulfilled the conditions of simplicity and lack of royalist connotation. At that period, there was also a revolutionary Occitane song, la Garisou de Marianno [la Guérison de Marianne, or the healing of Marianne] that used this forename to refer to the Republic. Later, during the Restoration and the Second Empire , Marianne became the code name for a clandestine Republican society. The image of Marianne and her Phrygian cap have their origins in antiquity. The Phrygian cap was worn by slaves emancipated from the Greek and Roman Empires. Thence, they were citizens, not slaves. The first representations of a woman in a Phrygian cap were made during the period of the French Revolution.

Sailors and galley crew from the Mediterranean regions wore caps that were practically the same design. When they joined the Revolution, they brought the cap to Paris. A Phrygian cap is a soft, red felt cap covering the ears, with a rounded top that is pulled forward. Phrygia was part of Anatolia in Turkey. One of its kings was Midas of whom it was alleged that everything he touched turned to gold. During the Third Republic , Marianne was represented by statues, often put in town halls [mairies]. She wore the Phrygian cap to emphasise her revolutionary character, but this was sometimes regarded as a call to revolt, and the cap was replaced by a wreath or tiara to give Marianne a character of greater wisdom. From 1789 (start date of the French Revolution) females appeared in paintings and statuary, where they expressed the values of liberty and revolution with their Phrygian cap and sometimes a decorated lance. When the Marianne wore a long tunic dress, she was formal and conquering.

A decree of 1792 arranged that the “state seal would be changed and would have representing France a woman dressed as in Antiquity, standing, holding in her right hand a lance surmounted by a Phrygian cap, or cap of liberty, her left hand resting on a bundle of arms, and at her feet a tiller”. She would also have at her feet tables with the law and the Declaration of the Rights of Man presented to the world. After 1799, the end of the Republic and the start of the First Empire weakened the representation of Marianne, even if the theme of liberty endured. Her name reappeared for a time during the Second Republic, but generally took a negative sense. Napoleon III, the new emperor, replaced Marianne on coins and stamps with his own portrait. The 1870 Commune of Paris developed a cult of a female revolutionary fighter with bare breasts wearing a Phrygian cap of the sans-culottes [9] , but she was not called Marianne. Under the Third Republic, two models competed - the statue with a wreath of wheat and the statue with the Phrygian cap.

The first represented a moderate Republic, while the second a revolutionary Republic, the people’s republican called Marianne. As the Third Republic settled in, busts multiplied in the mairies and schools. A uniform model generally was used, being a bust of a woman with a young and calm face, sometimes wearing a wreath of wheat, but more often wearing a Phrygian cap. The assimilation of the Marianne into the French Republic has now been achieved. Marianne has survived through five Republics and through the upsets of history. The most recent designs of Marianne are popular in town halls, with the features of celebrities like Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve and Laetitia Castra. some related websites end notes After the fall of France, the remnants of the French Army retreated to England, regrouping around General de Gaulle in London under the name Free France. The French stamp printers (l’Atelier des Timbres-poste) were now in German-occupied Paris. De Gaulle commissioned a Frenchman in London, Edmond Dulac, to design a stamp (to be printed in London) to rally the French colonies to Free France.

However, because de Gaulle would not accept the design, only about 5,000 copies were produced. One of the stamps de Gaulle preferred was the Algers Cockerel. This stamp included a cross of Lorraine, symbol of Joan of Arc and adopted by the Free French forces. Later, in 1943, Dulac entered a stamp design competition for French artists in England and his design was accepted, becoming known as the Marianne of London. The stamps were first sent to Paris at the end of August 1944. [La Louvre Museum, Paris] From Sabines arrëtant le combat entre les Romains et les Sabins - Sabines stopping the fight between the Romans and the Sabins.

Hersilie is standing with arms open to stop her Roman husband from throwing a javelin at her father-in-law, Tatius, king of the Sabins.(Hersilie had been kidnapped some years before by the Romans, a common way for Romans to obtain new young brides.) Pierre Gandon used as his model, the face of the Sabine in a painting at the Louvre - L’enlèvement des Sabine [the kidnapping of the Sabines] by Jacques-Louis David, 1799 The legend “France”, which conformed to the Universal Postal Union rules, was replaced by “Republique Française” in 1981 after the election of President François Mitterand. After the principal person in the painting La Liberté guidant le peuple [Liberty guiding the people] by Eugene Delacroix, painted soon after deposition of King Charles X by the July 1830 Revolution. This Liberty image used to figure on 100 franc notes. Definitive stamps are the standard stamps that are sold year after year. Commemoratives were originally made to commemorate a special event.

More recently, commemoratives have been issued in order to raise revenue rather than celebrate an event, with some minor event being used as a fig leaf. The first stamp paid for by the sender, rather than the receiver, was the Penny Black, issued on 6 May 1840. The stamp showed a side portrait of Queen Victoria at age 15. The idea of pre-paid postage had been developed by Rowland Hill. The first French postage stamp was issued on 1 January 1849. Its value was 20 centimes. Its colour was black, and had a portrait of Ceres (as illustrated), goddess of harvest and agriculture. In 1849, France was a rural and agricultural society so the choice of Ceres to represent the Republic was appropriate. The colour was soon changed from black to red, as the black franking could not easily be distinguished and so stamps were being reused. Because the 40 centime stamp was originally red, its colour was changed to blue at this time. Printing: to follow. Several issues of the sower appeared, in various series.

Firstly, the lined sower, named after the lines on the background, had two major series, firstly from 1903 to 1907, then from 1924 to 1929, with the colours and the values changing. The lined sower had a further outing from 1960 to 1965, this time engraved by Jules Piel. The lines were to give an impression of intaglio printing, a more prestigious printing form than the letterpress printing actually employed. Note that the sower is sowing against the wind. The cameo sower, also known as the plain background sower, is sometimes called La Semeuse grasse, the fat sower. The word ‘fat’ refers to the heavy letters used for the stamp’s value. The allegory of the sower was already on coins since 1897. She embodies a rural Republic which was a stamp symbol for more than 30 years. The design was planned originally for a agricultural medal. Roty made a plaster cast to serve as the engraver’s model. However, transferring the design from 3-D low-relief to a 2-D stamp was not easy.

This stamp was printed on mass production paper to take into account the shortage of paper at that time. Mercury is the god of commerce and eloquence, patron of merchants and travelers. As messenger of the gods, Mercury also embodies the modern god of messengers carrying the post. Originally issued with the legend “République française”, in 1942 this stamp bore the words “Postes françaises”, and from 1944, was overprinted with “RF”. Iris, as a messenger of the gods, carries a torch to light the road. Printing took place in two places: first in Paris, then, between September 1939 and September 1940 in Limoges. But the Iris type is best known for being printed on interzonal postcards. From September 1940, it was the only method of correspondence permitted by the Germans between the free zone and the occupied area. The Iris type reappeared in September 1944 with a Republican legend. This stamp was derived from the Jacques-Jean Barre Ceres of 1849, and was reserved for intermediate values. Modifications were made to the frame of the legend and the face value.

The engraving of the stamp, which bears no signature, was done at the stamp printing Workshop. Priinting was done at Paris and Limoges. The stamp printing Workshop was moved to Limoges the beginning of the war. Only two French heads of state, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte and Philippe Pétain , have wished their portrait to appear on stamps contrary to the Republican tradition, with the principle that a personality is not put on a stamp while they are still living. However, these two heads of state did have the excuse that they were not Republicans. However, La Poste (the French Post Office) has sometimes slipped up, for instance producing stamps showing portraits of Ginette Leclerc and Jean-Pierre Cargol, while still living, in the French Cinema series of 1986. Another still living French personality on a French stamp is Jean-Claude Killy, 6 times world champion and 3 times Olympic champion, twice world cup winner amongst many other sporting successes. The two first Napoleon III stamps, produced before he was proclaimed emperor still included the words “Repub.

Franc.”, following stamps had instead “Empire Franc.” At the end of 1943, Corsica was the only French department to be liberated. Cut off from the mainland, the island soon had no stamps, so on 6 December 1943, the French Committee of National Liberation (CFLN) in Algiers made a temporary solution by introducing stamps made in the Free French territory of Algeria. In May 1944, the CFLN became the Republic’s provisional government. Louis Fernez was the prize-winning Algerian painter who was entrusted with the design of the first Marianne of France. There was sufficient printing materials - lithographic stone - in Algeria. This stone had already been used to print stamps designed by Jules Carbonel. The work was entrusted to the lithographer Charles Hervé. This provisional Marianne disappeared in May 1945. The Gallic cock decorated the French flag during the 1789 revolution. In 1830, he replaced the fleur-de-lys, the royal emblem.

In 1852, he was chased away by the Empirial eagle, but returned in 1962 on a tricolour [blue, white, red] stamp. The cockerel, gallus gallus, has been a French symbol since Roman times. The French appreciate the play on words: the Roman word for cock, gallus, was also used by the Romans to name the French people of that period - the Gaulois. Sans-culottes means without breeches. This label was applied by the richer classes in 18th century France, who could afford smart, fitted knee-breeches, to the poorer, working classes, in particular around Paris, who wore ill-fitting pantaloons. Specifically, the term referred to “the ill-clad and ill-equipped volunteers of the French Revolutionary army”. The tricolour of the French national flag - blue, white, red - combines the colours of Paris (red and blue) with the colour of the king (white). These colours appeared during the first days of the French Revolution. In July 1789, a little before the taking of the Bastille prison (14th July), there was a great general unrest in Paris.

A militia was raised, which wore a cockade composed of the ancient colours of Paris - red and blue. On the 17th July, Louis XI went to Paris to review the new National Guard. The Guard was wearing the cockade of red and blue, to which (apparently) the Lafayette, the Guard commander added the royal white. The law of 27 pluviôse year II (15 February 1794) made the tricolour the national flag of France and, following the recommendation of the artist David, stipulated that the blue should be attached to the mast. French governments from 1792 to present First Republic: 1792 - 1804 Restoration of the Bourbons: 1814 - 1848 Second Republic: 1848 - 1852 Marianne, historic symbol of France You are here: French History Marianne Marianne, historic symbol of France and the French Marianne is a national symbol of France, symbolising reason, liberty and the ideals of the republic. The portrait of Marianne is seen frequently in France, including numerous statues, coins, stamps and banknotes.

But the origins of Marianne remain unclear. She emerged as a single figurehead during the revolutionary years, and was often shown in heroic roles, leading the republicans to freedom for example. Typically she wore a 'phrygian cap' (a soft felt conical hat), and this is now usually how Marianne is depicted. It has been claimed that the choice of a female as the symbol of France was a deliberate attempt to reject the male dominated centuries that came before, but it is unclear whether this is correct. The use of Marianne as a symbol was not widespread in the years after the Revolution, but in 1848, after the monarchy had fallen, the Ministry of the Interior held a competition for an image to represent the newly emerged republic. It was also in the following years that the name Marianne started to emerge to represent Liberty, and was in common use by 1875. The origins of the name Marianne are as unclear as the figure herself.

Some possible sources include: (1) Possibly it came from a song popular at the time of the Revolution, called 'Marianne's recovery'; (2) some suggest it came from a lady who nursed many of the injured revolutionaries; (3)and possibly it was simply because Marianne was a common and popular name at that time. Nowadays, a current personality (e.g. Catherine Deneuve in the 1980's) is chosen to represent Marianne and the spirit of liberty in France. Symbols of the French Republic - Consulat général de France à Johannesburg Symbols of the French Republic Twitter The Gallic Rooster One of the national emblems of France, the Coq Gaulois (the Gallic Rooster) decorated French flags during the Revolution. It is the symbol of the French people because of the play on words of the Latin gallus meaning Gaul and gallus meaning coq, or rooster. The rooster has been used as an ornament on church bell towers in France since the early Middle Ages, but at that time it was probably used to symbolize vigilance as roosters are known to crow at the expectation of the sunrise.

The Gallic Rooster has been used for centuries by folk artists as a decorative motif on ceramics or carved and veneered wooden furniture. The rooster played an important role as the revolutionary symbol, but it would become an official emblem under the July Monarchy and the Second Republic when it was seen on the pole of regiments’ flags. In 1830, the "Gallic Rooster" replaced the fleur-de-lis as the national emblem, and it was again discarded by Napoleon III. Since 1848, the rooster has been seen on the seal of the Republic (Liberty is seated on a rudder decorated by a rooster) ; it was used from 1899 as a motif on gold 20 franc coins and it occasionally appears on stamps. It is the emblem of French sports teams in international competitions. The Seal of State The official seal of the French Republic was created in 1848. It depicts a seated figure of Liberty brandishing a fasces of lictor. Near her, there is an urn struck with the letters "SU" (for universal suffrage). At her feet, stands a Gaulish rooster.

The reverse side of the seal is decorated with a wreath made of a vine branch, stalks of wheat and a laurel branch. The center bears the inscription "Au nom du peuple français" (In the name of the French people). The motto of the Republic follows the circumference of the seal : "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité" (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity). This seal is affixed to the official text of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, proclaimed in 1958 and kept in the National Archives in Paris. The Fasces of Lictor The fasces of lictor is a bundle of rods with a projecting axe-blade which was a symbol of authority and unity in Ancient Rome. For example, magistrates when entering a court had a bundle of rods carried before them. On occasion, they were used to give public floggings. During the First Republic, artists used it to symbolize the union of the 83 departments making up France at that time. It was surmounted either by an axe, or by the pike of the revolutionary divisions, or by the Phrygian cap.

Liberty, Egality, Fraternity A legacy of the Age of Enlightenment, the motto "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité" first appeared during the French Revolution. Although it was often called into question, it finally established itself under the Third Republic. It was written into the 1958 Constitution and is part nowadays of the French national heritage. Linked by Fénelon at the end of the 17th century, the notions of liberty, equality and fraternity became more widespread during the Age of Enlightenment. At the time of the French Revolution, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was one of the many mottos in use. In December 1790, Robespierre advocated in a speech on the organization of the National Guards that the words "The French People" and "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" be written on uniforms and flags, but his proposal was rejected. From 1793 onwards, Parisians, soon to be imitated by the inhabitants of other cities, painted the following words on the façades of their houses : "Unity, indivisibility of the Republic ; liberty, equality or death".

But they were soon asked to erase the phrase’s final part as it was too closely associated with the Terror… This motto fell into disuse under the Empire, like many revolutionary symbols. It reappeared during the Revolution of 1848 marked with a religious dimension : priests celebrated the "Christ-Fraternité" and blessed the trees of liberty that were planted at the time. When the Constitution of 1848 was drafted, the motto "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was defined as a "principle" of the Republic. Discarded under the Second Empire, this motto finally established itself under the Third Republic, although some people still objected to it, including partisans of the Republic : solidarity was sometimes preferred to equality which implies a levelling of society, and the Christian connotation of fraternity was not accepted by everyone. This motto was inscribed again on the pediments of public buildings on the occasion of the celebration of July 14, 1880. It appears in the constitutions of 1946 and 1958 and is today an integral part of our national heritage. It is found on items used by the general public such as coins and postage stamps.

Marianne Marianne is present everywhere in France and holds a place of honor in town halls and law courts. She symbolizes the "Triumph of the Republic", a bronze sculpture overlooking Place de la Nation in Paris. Her profile stands out on the official seal of the country. It is engraved on coins and drawn on stamps and banknotes. Marianne is considered as the most prominent depiction of the French Republic. But who is this woman, presented, by the artist Daumier, as a mother nursing two children, or, by the sculptor Rude, as an angry warrior voicing the Marseillaise on the Arc de Triomphe, or, by the painter Delacroix, as representing Liberty leading the people on the barricades, and where does she come from ? One thing is certain. Her image never leaves the French indifferent. In the last two wars, certain people worshipped her just like a saint. Others, who were anti-Republican, often dragged her name through the mud. Why is it a woman and not a man who represents the Republic ?

One could find the answer to this question in the traditions and mentality of the French, suggests the historian Maurice Agulhon, who set out on a real police investigation to discover the origins of Marianne which have remainded mysterious. To begin with, why the name ? Why Marianne rather than Françoise, Mireille or Madeleine ? Some people believed it came from the name of the Jesuit Mariana, the 16th century theoretician. Others thought it was the image of the wife of the politician Jean Reubell, basing their belief on an old date. According to the story, it appears that in 1797 when seeking a pleasant name of the Republic, Barras, one of the members of the Directoire, during an evening spent at Reubell’s, asked his hostess’s name ; "Marie-Anne," she replied. "Perfect," Barras exclaimed. "It is a short and simple name which befits the Republic just as much as yourself, Madame." This anecdote contradicts a recent discovery which established that the fist written mention of the name of Marianne to designate the Republic appeared in October 1792 in Puylaurens in the Tarn department near Toulouse.

At that time, people used to sing a song in the Provençal dialect by the poet Guillaume Lavabre : "La guérison de Marianne" (Marianne’s recovery) At that time the account made of their exploits by the Revolutionaries often contained a reference to a certain Marianne wearing a Phrygian cap (or Marie-Anne, a popular name in the French countryside then). This pretty girl aroused the "sans-culottes" and looked after those wounded in the many battles and clashes across the country. The name of Marianne also appears to be connected with several Republican secret societies. During the Second Empire, one of them, whose members had sworn to overthrow the régime, had taken her name. Today, Marianne remains as attractive as ever. She has even grown younger. As for the official busts, during the last thirty years she has taken on the features of Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve and, currently, those of the famous French fashion models, Inès de la Fressange and Laeticia Casta. In 2002, a new Marianne was born.

She does not have the features of a famous French woman but those of an anonymous " beurette"( young woman of North African descent), discovered by a scouting agent looking for a model who would symbolize a modern, multiethnic France. A New government logo Bleu-white-red, Marianne, Liberté-Egalité-Fraternité, the Republic : these powerful symbols represent France and its values. They have now been combined in a new "identifier" created by the French government under the aegis of the French Government Information Service (SIG) and the public relations officials in the principal ministries. As such, it will appear on all material - brochures, internal and external publications, publicity campaings, letter headings, business cards…- emanating from the government, starting with the various ministries (which will be able to continue using their own logo) and the Préfectures, decentralised government departments in the regions and Départements. The first objective targeted by this design is to unify government public relations. But it is also designed to give a more accessible image to a State currently seen as abstract, remote and archaic, all the more essential in that French citizens express high expectations of the State.

The logo chosen, "federating and mobilising, offers security and optimism, not forgetting patriotic pride." This data was gathered from numerous interviews and consultations conducted by Sofres (the French survey institute) in January 1999, with the general public and public servants. It emerged that the French are deeply committed to the fundamental values of the Republic and expect an impartial and efficient State to be the guarantor of the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. The French Flag The "tricolor" (three-color) flag is an emblem of the Fifth Republic. It had its origins in the union, at the time of the French Revolution, of the colours of the King (white) and the City of Paris (blue and red). Today, the "tricolor" flies over all public buildings. It is flown at most official ceremonies, both civil and military. In the early days of the French Revolution, the three colors were initially brought together in the form of a cockade. In July 1789, just before the taking of the Bastille, Paris was in a state of high agitation. A militia was formed ; its distinctive sign was a two-color cockade made up of the ancient colors of Paris, blue and red.

On July 17, Louis XVI came to Paris to recognize the new National Guard, sporting the blue and red cockade, to which the Commander of the Guard, Lafayette, it appears, had added the royal white. The law of 27 pluviôse, Year II (February 15, 1794), established the "tricolor" as the national flag. At the recommendation of the painter David, the law stipulated that the blue should be flown nearest the flagstaff. Throughout the 19th century, the blue of the legitimist royalists contended with the three colours inherited from the Revolution. The white flag was re-introduced under the Restoration, but Louis-Philippe reinstated the "tricolor," surmounting it with the Gallic rooster. During the Revolution of 1848, the provisional Government adopted the "tricolor," but the people on the barricades brandished a red flag to signal their revolt. Under the Third Republic, a consensus gradually emerged around the three colours. From 1880 onwards, the presentation of the colors to the armed forces each July 14 came to be a moment of high patriotic fervour.

While the Comte de Chambord, pretender to the French throne, never accepted the "tricolor," the royalists ended up rallying round the national flag at the time of the First World War. The constitutions of 1946 and 1958 (article 2) instituted the "blue, white and red" flag as the national emblem of the Republic. Today, the French flag can be seen on all public buildings. It is flown on the occasion of national commemorations, and it is honored according to a very precisely-defined ceremony. The French flag frequently serves as a backdrop when the French President addresses the public. Depending on the circumstances, it may be accompanied by the European flag or the flag of another country.

Question: ‘Marianne’ is a national emblem of which European country?
Answer: France